As South Korean battery manufacturers officially launch mass production plans for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, Chinese battery companies are already prepared to make significant advances in the next-generation sodium-ion battery sector. This development is prompting South Korean firms to tighten their focus and accelerate research and development efforts. Some industry insiders express concern that China's rapid expansion in the sodium-ion battery market could recreate the previous crisis faced by South Korean LFP battery producers
Samsung's Exynos flagship processors may return in the 2026 Galaxy S26 lineup, industry sources say, marking a potential revival after years on the sidelines. Built on Samsung's gate-all-around (GAA) manufacturing process, the new Exynos chips are reportedly closing the gap with TSMC's 3nm products in performance and power efficiency, a development insiders see as key to regaining market share
Following Huawei's recent AI inference milestone, China's server leader Inspur has introduced the Metabrain SD200, a next-generation AI supernode server designed for trillion-parameter workloads
LG Display (LGD) has fully deployed a self-developed artificial intelligence platform across its design, manufacturing, and business operations, marking a decisive push into digital and AI transformation (AX). The initiative, unveiled at the company's recent AX online forum, has already generated more than KRW200 billion (US$140 million) in cost savings while lifting productivity and product quality
Samsung Electronics plans to begin producing its in-house–designed high-performance CMOS image sensors (CIS) at its Austin, Texas, wafer fab in 2027 for Apple's iPhones. Industry analysts in South Korea say the tech giant's one-stop strategy, which covers both design and manufacturing, proved decisive in securing the deal as Apple seeks to expand US-based production
Samsung Display has secured a significant preliminary victory in its intellectual property battle against Chinese panel giant BOE Technology, with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) recommending a sweeping ban on BOE's OLED panel imports for nearly 15 years
Tencent reported second-quarter 2025 revenue of CNY184.5 billion (approx. US$26 billion), a 15% increase from a year earlier, with net profit rising 18% to CNY69.2 billion. On the earnings call, executives said the company now has several suppliers for AI inference chips, a disclosure closely watched amid intensifying scrutiny of US semiconductor use in China
Over the past five years, Huawei's drive to localize smartphone components has shifted from a crisis response into a calculated, strategic effort to build a self-reliant supply chain. With the Kirin 9030 set to debut in the Mate 80, the series is widely seen as a near-fully domestic flagship, a culmination of Huawei's transformation from relying on stopgaps to reshaping its position in the industry
Samsung Electronics is advancing development of its next-generation System-on-Panel (SoP) packaging technology, aiming to produce modules significantly larger than those possible with conventional wafer-level packaging. Industry watchers say a breakthrough could help the company secure a foothold in Tesla's semiconductor packaging supply chain
Huawei will launch its 2025 flagship Mate 80 series in October, moving up its schedule to land near Apple's iPhone 17 debut in early September, according to supply chain sources. The timing reflects a calculated move to reinforce its dominance in China's premium smartphone segment and seize momentum in the critical autumn upgrade cycle
Seoul Semiconductor, South Korea's leading LED manufacturer and the world's third-largest by market share in 2024, is intensifying its push into the fast-expanding micro LED sector. Backed by more than 18,000 patents, the company is deploying its proprietary Wicop technology to secure an edge in next-generation displays
Following South Korea's shocking announcement to invest US$350 billion in the US, with 90% of the profits staying in the US, Nvidia and AMD reportedly have agreed to pay 15% of their chip sales revenue from China to the US government. This equally astonishing arrangement secures export licenses from the US government for Nvidia's H20 and AMD's MI308 chips shipping to China
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary To Lam recently met in Seoul to strengthen economic ties, aiming to boost trade and investment cooperation between their countries. The summit focused on expanding South Korean investments in Vietnam's advanced technology sectors, according to Maeil Business and Newsis
Japan and the US are moving to set up a joint forum to advance US$550 billion (around JPY80 trillion) worth of Japanese investment and loan projects in the US, following their July 2025 tariff negotiations. Reuters, citing Japanese government sources, reported that the framework will involve both governments, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), and Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI). Discussions are expected to begin around the time the US implements its agreed tariff reductions
